The Steelers complete the 2013 Draft addressing all the pressing needs.

Today was a football filled day for me and the kid as we hit the 3rd junior day visit of the month and the second visit with college coaches in as many days. Hence the reason I couldn’t be in person at the Draft this year. Priorities.

Today the Steelers nabbed safety Shamarko Thomas from Syracuse. The kid liked this pick. He’s a little small for my taste, but I guess size isn’t everything. He’s got great athleticism and he plays tough. Exactly what the Steelers need. He lost both his parents while in college and cares for his siblings. He’ll learn the Steelers complex defense and be a great back up to Troy. Of course, that’s if Troy stays healthy. If not, look to him to start. At least he’ll be able to cover deep and support against the run. I think this is a good pick for the Steelers.

In addition to Thomas, the Steelers also landed a backup QB in the 4th round, Landry Jones from Oklahoma. He’s 6’4″ and 225lbs. Seems to be a stand up guy. He’s married to his college sweetheart who was just drafted by the WNBA (Whitney Hand) and who played ball with Ben’s little sister. So the connection seems to be there and it’s time for Ben to share his experience and knowledge with a new kid. I don’t know much about him, but when the kid found out that’s who the Steelers drafted, he said, “My mannnzzz” which I have learned is a complement?! So, the kid liked the pick. I have seen comments from various members of Steeler Nation who are NOT happy with this pick. From what I can see it’s not too bad. Time will tell. We need a viable backup who can learn and play in the Steelers offense. From the negative I have read on him from scouting reports, seems like a little confidence and a mentor will work wonders.

In the 5th round, the Steelers add to the secondary with Illinois DB Terry Hawthorne. He’s a press corner. What? Yeah, I know we haven’t seen one of those in a while, right? (OK, sorry Ike, I vaguely remember when you didn’t give up much on your side). Hawthorne has the ability to create plays and can stick to most teams top wide receivers. His downside? Not much. He’ll need to learn the complex Lebeau defense and that might take a while, but it will be fun this year to watch him in training camp against Brown, Sanders and the WR vets. (Sadly, seems like yesterday when Brown and Sanders were rookies, carrying Hines pads, but I digress!) He’s a decent pick at corner and could even compete to start. Guess we’ll see what happens.

With the 187th pick, the Steelers selected Justin Brown. At 6’3″ I think we all collectively salivated at the thought of a tall physical receiver on the field. Former Penn State player, he spent one season in Oklahoma following all the drama at my alma mater. He joins former Oklahoma team mate and WB Landry at the Steelers. Part of a grand plan? hmmm…..Guess we’ll see. Can’t wait to see what this kid can do on the field.

The Steelers also selected LB Vince Williams, from Florida State. I have to admit, I was hoping the Steelers would take Mauti here. But they didn’t. And then the Vikings did. But back to Williams. Honestly, don’t know much about him. He’s the second LB taken in the draft by the Steelers, and at this late spot, not sure what happens. He’s 6’1″ and 233 lbs and provides some depth at the position, IF he makes the 53 man roster. I’m still a little sad to see Mauti go to the Vikings.

With the final pick of the 2013 NFL Draft, the Steelers selected DT Nick Williams from Samford in Alabama. So, looking at all the reports, looks like he was undervalued. He was faster in the 40 and the shuttle, leading his position at the combine. He’s a gamble, but he had 8 sacks in 2012 and that’s a big number for a DT. He played basketball for most of his life and was lightly recruited in football coming out of high school. At 6’5″ and 309, he’s a big boy. (comparatively my kid is 6’4″ and 180 barely)

Well, there you have it Steeler Nation.

The only thing I don’t think we really addressed was TE, but perhaps with 5 on the roster it’s handled? I don’t know. Will anxiously await Heath’s return on that one.

But look forward to seeing these kids in pads and helmets in August.

Here we go.

The Steelers select………..Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State.

The kid is happy with this pick, he loves wide receivers, because he is one too. He would say this is a good pick for the Steelers. Wheaton is able to get behind defenses and make big plays. He was a top 5 WR at the Combine. He’s plenty fast (4.45 40)and was a track star in high school and also ran for the Beavers.

He’s not a Hines Ward blocker, few wide receivers are, but he will learn. It’s the Steeler way, after all.

Last year Wheaton caught 91 passes for 1,244 yards and 11 TDs. He also became the all-time leader for receptions for the Beavers. He was definitely their biggest playmaker. He can get you vertically or horizontally. He also goes up and snags the ball if it’s high. He also seems very humble and down to earth. Looks like a good fit for the Steelers.

Looks like we stacked back up with a solid “young money crew – part 2.”

Here we go.

The Steelers select Le’Veon Bell, running back from Michigan State. Interesting since most of Steeler Nation thought it would be Eddie Lacy or Montee Ball. But looks like the front office knows more than all of us fake GMs. He’s a tall RB at 6’2″ and 244 lbs. Over his career 40 games Bell rushed for 3,346 yards and 33 TDs. He won the overall BIG10 rushing title averaging nearly 138 yards a game.

I’m not mad. We could use another running back. I think he can give Dwyer and Redman a run for the starting position. Will be interesting who they use as 3rd down type back and if the Steelers split up responsibility at all in that position.

Can’t complain…..let’s get to the 3rd round and see if we can nab a safety or wide receiver.

This is still a very weird draft. “Fat boys” all went fast, now we’re getting into other areas. Putting it in perspective, Bell is the 3rd running back off the board.

Weird.

But good for the Steelers! Here we go!

The Steelers select…….Georgia OLB Jarvis Jones

So, what did the Steelers get with that pick? We got a replacement for Harrison, that’s what we got.

At 6’3″ and 241, he’s explosive and athletic. He will get your team’s quarterback. He led the SEC in forced fumbles last year, 24.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks. Yes, he will get your team’s QB. Don’t be mad.

This isn’t a surprising pick, but what was surprising is the plethora of talent left on the board at the time. Pretty much anyone the Steelers had on the top of the board was available. But this pick, it made sense, at this time. He wouldn’t have lasted until tomorrow, for sure.

As usual, the Steelers make their moves during the Draft. (as opposed to what other teams do *cough Jets cough*)

Looking forward to the continuation of “Christmas in April” tomorrow.

P.S. As of 10:37pm, the T’eo watch continues………

It was always a possibility that Emmanuel Sanders would get and sign an offer sheet from the Patriots. That day hit this week. $2.5 million one-year deal. That’s about $1.2 million more than the Steelers offered (since they stuck with the 3rd round tender number). The good news? The Steelers can probably match the deal and stay under cap. Even with rookie signings. It doesn’t leave room for much else without some more major contract restructures, but it can be done.

But will they? We’ll know on Sunday – the deadline for the match. Less than 48 hours away if you are on the #FrontOfficeWatch,

There are many opinions on what the Steelers should do. I won’t reinvent the wheel. You can check what my friends at Behind the Steel Curtain say, or check in with ESPN’s Jamison Hensley for their opinions.

I’m going to take a look at who is on the roster, right now, today, to catch the ball.

First, Antonio Brown singed a long-term deal last year and all three of his seasons has contributed in a big way. While he didn’t match his 1100+ yards from his second season last year, he was consistent on the field and had to be accounted for in defensive schemes. Let’s be clear, while he too had some drops, there were problems all across the Steelers team that contributed to the 8-8 season. Meanwhile, Jericho Cotchery was a consistent playmaker in times of need. He’s not the tallest or fastest player out there, but his experience allows him to make plays at the right time. And finally, Plax might have only had 7 receptions last season for 42 yards, but he’s got four 1,000+ seasons in his career. Sure, he may have seen the best years of his career, but at his height and ability, he will still draw defenders.

No, this isn’t “Young Money” anymore. But it’s not terrible. There are so many positions to address for the Steelers to be really viable for a Super Bowl run, you have to start somewhere. And there are a lot of receivers to be had typically starting in the 3rd round. Let’s not forget that Limas Sweed was a second round pick and Antonio Brown was a 6th round pick and you know where each of those got us. I expect the Steelers to draft at least 2 receivers this year. Especially if we pick up the Pats 3rd round pick.**

Along with the starters, there are a couple other wide receivers listed on the roster, though primarily on practice squad:

David Gilreath (Wisconsin)

Kashif Moore (Connecticut)

Derek Moye ( Penn State and he’s 6’5″)

Bert Reed (Florida State)

I’m not even going to guess as to whether they are on the final roster at the end of August, but hopefully at least one of them have adapted and can contribute on the 53 man roster. Remember that Isaac Redman started his career with the Steelers on the practice squad and he’s done well since. Another reason I can’t speak to their abilities is that I don’t remember seeing any of them but maybe Gilreath play a down. (And I have missed training camp, where I would get a better sense of their ability, the last two years because of the kid’s football schedule)

The bottom line is while they might not look like a Super Bowl bound team today, the Steelers could still reach success. If they begin to fill the holes this draft, by next year the Steelers will certainly be in a good position to make a run.

Key grabs would be a safety, a couple good wide receivers, linebackers and a back up QB and somewhere a running back.

But don’t write off the receiving corps quite yet. While Sanders youth might be missed if they played today, seems like there might be a receiver in the draft who could be ready to contribute right away.

If you had to choose a wide receiver at the draft, who would you choose? And what round? 

**Note that if the Pats give up their 3rd round pick that leaves them with a first, second and two seventh rounders. CRAZY. That’s the least amount of picks I think I have ever seen them deal with.

I know a lot of you never met my brother. That’s too bad because he was a great guy. I miss him terribly. He drove me crazy, annoyed me to no end, but that void is something that I know I won’t ever be able to replace. He also made me laugh. He was a great husband and father. A lifetime of memories.

One of those memories is how he loved to golf.  That’s what he and my Dad did. They golfed. My Dad recently recounted the first time my brother beat him on the golf course.  I don’t know too many people who can beat my Dad and I sure don’t know anyone who could have beat my brother. He was a great golfer.

So it’s fitting that his former colleagues at First National Bank decided to honor him with a golf outing. He would have loved that.

So on behalf of my family, I would like to invite you to join us on Thursday, June 27 at the Lindenwood Golf Club located at 360 Galley Road, Canonsburg, PA for the First Annual Brian Mattas Memorial Golf Outing.

A round of golf plus lunch and dinner is $150.

Don’t like to golf? Join us for dinner and the evening program (raffles, games and contests along with food) for just $35.

There raffle tickets are $20 and the prizes are great.

• First Prize: a 7 day/6 night stay in a Florida condo
• Second Prize: a Hines Ward autographed jersey
• Third Prize: 2 Pirates tix and 2 Steelers tix, both with a parking pass included.
• And if you are a business owner, lots of sponsorship opportunities to consider too.

Below you will find the registration brochure.

Hope to see you there!

Mattas Brochure 3.19.13 (1)

And if you are wondering what money from this event supports – well, it goes straight to the college fund for my two nieces, Emilie (7) and Kaitlyn (4).  We can”t replace their Daddy, but we can at least make sure they get to college.  Thanks everyone for your support. Looking forward to seeing you in June!

As free agency got underway this week, it’s been an emotional roller coaster for Steelers fans. Sure, we all expected Mike Wallace to leave but not sure we knew he’d get the big payday Miami offered him. He kept it classy though. Thanking SteelerNation for supporting him the first years of his NFL career. He also tweeted that he “bought a Phantom because he always wanted one.” Rich. Young. Handsome. Miami beach. Watch out ladies. Or rather, should it be watch out Mike, they will really be aiming for you now!

Free agency is always ugly because it’s about the business. How much money does a team have to spend and what players can they acquire or keep with that money. For the Steelers, young money crew is no more. With Wallace gone, the Steelers made sure they wrapped up the WR position with Cotchery and Plax. Not so young money crew? I don’t think I am alone in wondering whether these players can handle a starting role. Emmanuel Sanders was offered a third round tender and has been approached by the Patriots. As of yesterday at 4pm, there was no offer sheet out there. The Steelers would have a week to answer or receive a 3rd round compensatory pick. Comp picks aren’t bad, afterall, that is how we got Antonio Brown initially (from the Jets for Santonio Holmes). I think the bigger problem is that the draft isn’t filled with great wide receivers. There’s always that kid who you can grab in the later rounds who ends up being a diamond in the rough, but it’s a risk. But by the looks of the Steelers checkbook, one they seem okay taking, at least right now. I guess we’ll see what happens when and if the Pats offer Sanders a deal. In the meantime, low expectations for 2013.

Heath Miller is projected to be out the first part of the season with an injury he sustained at the end of the 2012 season. To help out at the TE position, yesterday the Steelers signed Matt Spaeth. He’s a good blocker, but doesn’t have the receiving hands that Heath has. Miller was one of the top receivers for the Steelers last year with 71 receptions for 816 yards and 8 TDs. This was a move many thought the Steelers should employ long ago. A lot of teams in the NFL have used their tight ends as top receivers, think Rob Gronkowski, Tony Gonzalez and Vernon Davis. Using Heath Miller last year opened up the offense a little despite the disappointing season.

Perhaps that’s why the Steelers are more willing to let go of Sanders. Last year he pulled in 44 catches for 626 yards and 1 TD. He’s also spent some time on the injury list. Sanders was expected to have his breakout year this coming season much like Antonio Brown had the year before. Unfortunately, he might just be wearing another team’s uniform when he does finally break out.

We won’t know for sure, though, until the Pats make an offer and he accepts and the Steelers take the 3rd round pick in return. That happening has had it’s own drama the last couple days. The Post-Gazette reported the offer was out there yesterday, but Sanders said he has not received an offer. As emotional as it is for us, it’s even more stressful for Sanders who probably wonders where he will be playing next year and who his teammates will be.

Gotta love free agency.

I’m ready for the Draft! And don’t forget, if you will be in NYC for the Draft, I want to interview you.

We’re not even done with the first quarter but a lot has happened in 2013.

I lost my brother to cancer just a couple days into the new year. Thank you to so many who sent my family condolences. Much appreciated.

Thank you to so many of you who supported UPMC’s research into oral cancer and helped me raise visibility for such an evil disease. A special thanks to those who donated money to support the research, thanks to you hopefully others won’t have to face losing a loved one the way my family did. No words can really explain the heartbreak we felt and still feel. The blessing is knowing he’s no longer suffering.

When there is loss, there is also gain. My family welcomed TWINS a month ago. One named for my brother, his memory will live on. They are a blessing beyond blessings.

But bringing this back to football, we also had to deal with the Ravens winning the Super Bowl this year. No fun for Steelers fans, but the beauty in this, if we must find one, is that no one can discount the strength of the AFC North. I know it’s a stretch for many, but there has to be a silver lining somewhere, right?

For those of you who watched the combine, I know you were trying to determine who might be the Steelers first round pick. Here’s where I was going to give Behind the Steel Curtain some love and share their draft picks, because I haven’t had much time, due to all the things I named above, along with my OWN child being in the middle of recruiting season (He’s a high school football player, in case you didn’t know). But when I went to their site just now, I see they “mocked” me in their mock draft post. That’s how it goes I guess.

But while talking about the Draft, I wanted you to know I will be reporting live from the NFL Draft in New York again this year. Maybe my pick in the mock draft wasn’t great, good thing I am not a GM, but I will be in New York sharing who the Steelers DO choose as the #1 pick.

I plan to interview fans from the line outside Radio City each day, so if you plan to be there, please let me know. I want to make sure I get to each of you.

Here’s to a great 2013 season for our Steelers!

Is a wildcard spot. Is that too much to ask?

The last couple weeks watching the Steelers is a lot like this video.

Offense, no defense. Defense, no offense. Special teams, nothing special.

Can we get everyone to play in one game for 60 minutes at top performance? I’m just wondering.

Who thought playing the Bengals on the Sunday before Christmas would mean something. Can I get a raise of hands please?

Yeah, me either. There’s no question the Steelers are playing better than they did the first few weeks of the season. Yet there are a whole lot of jerseys in that secondary with names I don’t even recognize. Let’s hope these guys show up to play and play hard. This is it. The shot at the wildcard. It all comes down to what happens on Sunday.

And don’t forget, if you want to see the game in person, click here for available tickets: http://tiqiq.us/HSj

Hope Santa makes my Christmas wish come true.

See you on twitter during the game. Follow me @Steelergurl.

Oh and let me throw out congratulations once again to Charlie Batch and Ryan Clark for being recognized as players who go above and beyond to perform community service in their team cities and hometowns – in Charlie’s case, it’s both! Great work gentlemen!

The difference maker in this game? It wasn’t having Troy and AB back, or even the lack of defense that Ravens fans claim as their demise. I think it was the attitude from the start. The Steelers came out ready to brawl and brawl they did. Numerous times.  Clearly no love lost from the Coaches all the way down to the players. (See the Tomlin/Harbaugh post-game brush off ).

The stats show this game pretty even. And surely those who watched will concur that the game was really good, with no one dominating. It was a nail biter, but isn’t  that always the case when the Steelers play the Ravens? The biggest improvement since last week. Charlie Batch. Charlie completed 25 of 36 attempts for 276 yards, 1 TD and 1INT. Flacco threw for 188 yards and matched Charlie’s 1 TD and 1 INT.  Overall offense: Steelers 366 to the Ravens 288. The Steelers only had (and I use only loosely) 4 penalties for 50 yards. The Ravens had 8 penalties for 70 yards. Even time of possession was pretty even.

Defense has stepped up considerably since the early part of the season. Ike Taylor left the game in the first defensive series and didn’t return. But Lewis and Allen held their own. With Troy back in the game, Flacco did feel a little pressure. The Ravens defense did make some mistakes, though the Steelers weren’t necessarily able to make them pay for it – they left Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders open several times throughout the game. Charlie overthrew Wallace in the endzone, Sanders fumbled one, and he didn’t see Brown. Those kind of mistakes will not be ignored when Ben is back.

And speaking of Ben, the rumor is he will play next week against San Diego. Let’s all collectively cross our fingers that he’s healthy and can return and play hard. We’ve seen a wildcard run before. It can be done.